Fight For Me
by The Cursed Shadow
Summary: AU: Beca has just gotten home from army deployment, and although she may not have achieved her dreams of becoming a DJ, she still sells mixes to local clubs. She may have chosen the military life to be alone, but after meeting a certain red headed waitress, a life alone might not be the way she wants to live anymore.
1. New Start

Beca walked out of the base, her bag slung loosely over her shoulder. With a sigh of relief she turned her head, looking at Jesse. They were both still in uniform, but there was a smile on his face. The man's eyes were turned forward and he laughed loudly, tears forming in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" the brunette asked, stopping in her walk to face the taller man. Of course, she was short for a woman, but it never stopped her. Considering she was the highest rank in her unit, others would agree with her.

"Nothing's wrong," Jesse turned, smiling as a tear fell down his cheek. "I'm happy. I get to see Aubrey again." Beca couldn't help but smile at him. Seeing her best friend so happy was something that hadn't happened since before they'd left on their last deployment. She shook her head at him, tilting her head to the side. "You are a lovesick puppy, Jesse."

"I'll be the first to admit it," they walked together, going down the sidewalk side by side. "You know, Becaw," at her nickname she rolled her eyes. He would use it in front of their unit on occasion, but only he was actually allowed to call her that. Though, she did make him do pushups for it sometimes. "I feel bad for you."

"Why?" at this her brow rose, he was rarely so serious with her, much less to the point where he would feel bad for her. They were happy together, seeing as they'd been best friends in college. They'd tried a romantic relationship, but considering she hated movies the two knew it would never work out. "Because you don't have anyone to come home to," Beca turned her head away to face forward again, letting her lips turn from their previous smile to the serious expression she wore so often.

"I don't need it, Jesse," she replied, but after hearing his sigh she began to explain. "I have my music."

"Your music isn't going to do much, Becs," the brunette thought he had far too many nicknames for her, but it was Jesse, so she didn't mind too much. "You need someone to hold when you come home, someone who's going to hug you and make sure you're okay."

"I feel bad for you too, Jesse," when he raised his eyebrow Beca sighed and forced herself to continue. "I don't want to think what would happen to Aubrey if you didn't come home." This seemed to get his attention, but he shook his head.

"I'm always going to come home," he said, but the girl wasn't convinced. "Besides, we made a promise. We always come home together, right Becs?"

"Right," she agreed with a smile, shrugging her shoulders as they finally reached the garage where their cars were parked side by side. "Hey, when's the last time you saw Aubrey?" Beca shrugged, trying to remember. "One or two years ago? Why? What are you planning?"

"You should come over for dinner," the brunette tilted her head, giving the taller man a questioning look. "I'm serious. I'll ask Aubrey about it as soon as I get home and I'll call you." After a sigh and realizing Jesse wasn't going to give up, she replied, "Fine."

"Oh, by the way, Aubrey's friend from college is living with her now, so it won't just be us. Try to be nice."

"I'm always nice." Seeing the man roll his eyes, Beca punched his shoulder, laughing slightly. "I'll see you later, Jesse. I have mixes to go sell."

"Okay, but don't forget about dinner. I'll call you later to tell you when it'll be." Beca nodded, but called out before he got into the car. "Tell Aubrey I say hello."

"Will do!"

The brunette sat in her car for a moment, thinking about the last time she'd had a moment so quiet. Between patrols and making sure everyone in her unit was safe, Beca had barely had a second to just breathe. Thankfully, at the turn of her key the engine roared to life, bringing a smile to her face. It wasn't anything too luxurious, but the black exterior brought a sense of mystery which she loved.

A CD of her personal mixes was still in the player, and as she turned on the stereo her mix blasted through the speakers. The volume wasn't loud enough so other cars could hear, she didn't want that. Her music was personal, it was the one thing she was able to come home to after spending countless days at war overseas. It was everything to her, her heart, her soul. No one had really heard her music, not even Jesse.

She let the music flow through her ears, letting the each beat touch her heart. Beca often wondered if she would find someone to share her life with, but decided against every time. She had chosen a life of loneliness, it hadn't been thrust on her in any way. The decision was made, and she would have to live with it. Yet, the brunette wondered if Jesse was right. What would life be like if she had someone to come home to? If there was someone waiting for her?

Perhaps she'd find them one day, but at the moment it didn't matter. As she pulled into the parking place in front of her apartment the girl couldn't help but smile. She had paid the rent using money she made from selling mixes and from her normal army wages. It wasn't much, a single bedroom and bathroom apartment, but it was enough. Beca hadn't decorated, she didn't exactly see the need to. Her DJing equipment was still on her desk exactly as it had been left.

When she was in college, Beca dreamed of becoming a famous DJ in L.A., but things changed. Her family grew smaller and smaller, and after she learned Jesse was joining the military, it seemed like the best option. Of course, the girl still made her mixes and sold them to local clubs. Still, the dream of becoming a DJ was in her mind, but it wasn't as lively as it used to be. She often wondered what life would have been like if she hadn't joined the military, and instead traveled to Los Angeles to pursue her dream. Most times she imagined herself being homeless and begging off the side of the street.

Shaking her head to clear memories, Beca walked over to her desk, reaching into the drawer and grabbing a flash drive. With a sigh she looked down at her uniform, growing tired of the green camouflage. Of course, the army wouldn't let her wear ear spikes as she had in college, but during the months overseas she missed the accessories. They gave her personality, and helped people to know who she really was. She wasn't just a soldier, but a person.

She changed into a dark leather jacket, a black t-shirt, and putting in her ear spike and earrings she had been missing. Beca grabbed the flash drive and locked the door to her apartment. There was only one thing on her mind: selling her mixes. She'd made them before her last deployment. The brunette was anything but stupid, she made a total of fourty-eight mixes to sell in her several months off of deployment. The first twenty four were to be sold just before she left for war, and the other twenty four were sold after she returned. In another show of intelligence, Beca made copies of every single mix she'd ever made to an external hard drive, just in case her computer decided to crash.

However, she couldn't count how many mixes she'd made personally. Her personal mixes were for her ears only, no one else's. They were very different from those she sold to clubs. The clubs heard what she wanted them to hear, but her real mixes couldn't be remade or copied. They were from her soul, and it was the greatest way she knew to pass the time before deployment. Music was her life, that was all there was to it, but somehow she wanted more.

Beca was careful when parking the car in the club's parking lot. Luckily, this particular club had been the first she'd ever sold her mixes to. She and the owner had become good friends, and it was definitely one of the most interesting experiences she'd ever had. Walking into the club, the brunette heard one of her mixes sounding through the speakers. She nodded her head to the beat, walking up to the office towards the back corner of the club. The girl knocked loudly on the door, and when it opened a smile immediately sprouted on the owner's face.

"Beca!" the blonde said, pulling the brunette in for a bone crushing hug. The brunette hugged back, a smile on her face as well. "As I live and breathe. I didn't know if you'd be coming back."

"Good to see you too, Fat Amy," she pulled back, shifting her weight to one of her legs and resting her hand on her hip. "Tell me you've got something good for me, Beca." The soldier laughed and pulled out the flashdrive, "Don't I always?"

"You're the best client ever," the owner's Aussie accent was recognizable anywhere, not to mention her size. Though, Beca never thought of that. She was certainly one of the nicer club owners she'd met, and realized her talent immediately. Patiently, the brunette watched Fat Amy pull an envelope out of her desk. When the blonde opened it there was a pile of hundreds in it. "Here's your cut just for getting me these mixes, you'll get the rest of it after I listen to how good it is, but knowing you, it'll be epic."

The brunette put the envelope in her pocket, making sure it couldn't fall out. "Listen, I have to actually listen to the mixes before you can get your other cut, new policy and all. You should stay, have some food, maybe a drink. I'll have my best waitress on it."

"You actually have waitresses now?" Beca smiled, receiving a slap on the arm from Fat Amy. "Yes, we do. There's two that are especially good. There's Stacie, but I doubt you'll want to see her. She can be a bit... scandalous. Then there's Chloe, a ginger."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," they walked out of the office, Beca smirking at Amy's roll of her eyes. "Just sit down, I'll get her for you."

Laughing as she shook her head, Beca sat in the booth. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her hazel eyes looked around the room. People seemed to be enjoying themselves, while she sat alone. She would be lying if she said it didn't affect her.

"Hi!" the brunette was pulled out of her thoughts by the red headed waitress standing at her table. Though, something was off. There may have been a smile on her face, but it wasn't real, of course that was to be expected with waitresses. She seemed tired, and she had dark circles under her eyes. "What can I get you?" Beca only smiled and shook her head.

"Your shift just ended and your boss asked you to come over here, didn't she?" The brunette watched as her mouth hung open, and a slight red blush came to her cheeks. "How did you know?"

"I know when people are overworked."

The red head closed her mouth, smiling slightly. "You overworked?" Beca could only shrug, giving her a small smirk. "More than you know, but I get enough time off between trips to talk to beautiful red heads."

She watched her blush, her cheeks turning almost as red as her fiery locks. Beca couldn't help but smile, looking into those beautiful blue eyes. The waitress shrugged her shoulders, shifting on her feet. "Look, I don't want to keep you here longer than you have to be. I'll just get a Coke," the brunette paused, smirking slightly, "then maybe after I get my business finished up with Amy you'll let me walk you to your car."

"Coming right up," she couldn't hear any hesitation in the red head's voice, signaling her flirting had been downright successful. "By the way, I'm Chloe."

"Beca," as Chloe left, her eyes wandered downward, smirking as the waitress walked away. "Wow."

The brunette chuckled, letting a full blown smile erupt on her face. It was certainly turning out to be an interesting night. She shook her head lightly, looking out over the other people in the club. As she watched them dance, someone joined her at the table.

"This is one of the best mixes yet, Beca," Amy said, pulling the soldier from her thoughts. "I don't know how you do it."

"It's just something I do," she turned her hazel eyes to meet Amy's, giving her a small wink. "Look, here's your cut. You've definitely earned it." Beca took the second envelope of money and placed it in the same pocket as the first. When Chloe returned with her glass of Coke, she quickly drank it and looked at Amy, who had an angry expression at the red head.

"This is all you got her?" it surprised the brunette to see Fat Amy almost yelling, but taking a look at Chloe's eyes was all it took to make the soldier's cold heart melt. "It's all I asked for, not her fault." A sigh came from Amy as she looked between the two of them.

"It's on the house, Beca. Thanks again, now if you'll excuse me I have other things to attend to."

As Chloe sighed, Beca turned her head. The waitress' eyes were red, like she was about to cry. Yet, she held it in. The brunette raised an eyebrow at her small smile. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know," Beca replied, smiling slightly. "You didn't deserve to get beat up over something like that."

"Just give me a few minutes to get changed," Chloe shrugged, "then I'll take you up on that offer of walking me to my car."

Beca smiled and nodded her head, taking another drink of Coke as Chloe walked off. What a night. She had met a beautiful red head, someone she wouldn't mind coming home to after every deployment. Setting her empty glass on the table, she heard one of her mixes come out on the speakers once again. Though, the brunette didn't have time to gloat or even think about it. Her thoughts were too focused on Chloe and maybe, just maybe, she had found the person she was looking for.


	2. First Impressions

Chloe walked into the locker room, sighing in relief that her shift was finally over. No more customers treating her like crap, and no more waitresses giving her dirty looks. With a sigh she stripped from her waitress 'uniform' to her jeans and tank top. A smile adorned her face as she shut the locker, only to jump at Stacie's smiling face from beside her.

"Stacie!" the red head put a hand to her chest, trying to calm her frantic heart. "Why'd you do that?"

"I saw you flirting with the brunette at table 108," she turned her head away, trying to hide her blushing from her friend. "Well, if you weren't flirting with her she was definitely flirting with you. Did you get her name?"

"Beca," Chloe nodded, turning back to finally look at Stacie, whose smirk had only widened. "A name to match the hot body she's got." She could only continue blushing; trying to hide her smile, but it seemed impossible.

"So, do you plan to ask her out?" the red head sighed, shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know, I guess I'll wait for her to do it."

"Well, don't wait too long. If she doesn't ask you, ask her," the woman saw her friend's raised brow, "Promise me, Chloe."

"Okay, okay! I promise!" It was only to get out of Stacie's battering, though the tall brunette was her friend, it didn't mean she wanted any of her advice, especially if relationships became intimate.

Taking a deep breath, Chloe finally walked out of the locker room. People were still enjoying themselves on the dance floor, and it was obvious who'd had too much to drink. It didn't bother her, especially if it meant she got paid more. Sure, it wasn't the dream job she wanted, but it paid the bills.

She'd dreamed of becoming a singer someday, and on occasion she would sing in the club's karaoke night, but eventually Chloe realized her dream just wasn't going to come true. The red head had called Aubrey, her friend since kindergarden and her best friend through college, and asked for help. Aubrey, being the good friend she was, invited her to stay there with her. For a long time she would simply cry and brood about her goals not being achieved, but once again Aubrey brought her back to reality and encouraged her to get a job.

It was how she ended up working in the club, and she'd been there for a little over seven months. Chloe definitely wasn't ungrateful, but she still wanted to do more with her life than just wait tables and listen to angry customers all day. Though, it didn't seem that angry customers were her problem as she walked back to the table, seeing Beca had already finished her drink.

"You look very nice," the brunette said, making her blush again as she walked over. "I can say the same about you." Watching her shrug, Chloe had time to notice how short she was. To her, the woman was several inches shorter than her, but compared to the average height Beca was much shorter than one would expect.

"Thank you," she smiled as the brunette held the door for her, letting butterflies flutter around in her stomach. What was she feeling? They'd barley met, and already there was a connection. It wasn't just pointless flirting for a one night stand, there was something more than that. There had to be more to Beca, things she didn't know, things she wanted to know. "You wouldn't happen to have a day off sometime this week, would you?"

Chloe smiled, giving the shorter woman a nod and letting her continue. "Well, I don't have a lot of time before I have to go out of town again, and maybe you'd like to get dinner with me sometime?" This was it; one right answer and her world could be changed. The red head couldn't conceal her blush, or stop the smile on her face. "I would love to. I have tomorrow off if that works for you."

"Sounds perfect," they stopped, standing in a street without lamps, and the red head couldn't help but notice how amazing Beca looked under the moonlight. "My car's parked several blocks away, you don't have to come with me."

"Do you not want me to come with you?" the way she raised her eyebrow had Chloe laughing, shaking her head. "I just don't want you to go too far out of your way."

"Well, then I'll leave you to it," Beca said, taking the red head's hand and bringing it to her lips, "Goodnight, Chloe."

Knowing she had made a lasting impression, the brunette began walking in the opposite direction. Though, she didn't get in her car. Going home was the last thing on her mind. With a slight laugh she leaned against the brick wall of a building, looking up at the moon. It was full, providing a beautiful silver light so she could see.

She'd seen the moon plenty of times before, and sometimes when she was overseas it was easier to see the stars than it was when she was at home. Of course, there was nothing like being in America again. Sure, they could be arrogant or insulting, but it was home. There was nothing the brunette would rather do than go home and make music.

The soldier traveled at a leisurely pace, taking joy in the fact that she wasn't forced to walk in formation. A shriek cut through the night's silence, making her turn around. There was only one person, one woman, who could've screamed. Chloe.

Beca immediately broke into a run, going as fast as her feet would carry her. She pushed past garbage cans and managed to vault over a fallen newspaper stand. The brunette stopped when nearby whimpers reached her ears. The noise was unbearable, and whoever was causing it would pay.

"You're not going to get away with that little-" the soldier wouldn't hear anymore. After finding the alley where the voice came from, she looked in, seeing a man holding Chloe by her throat. Without any hesitation, Beca ran into the alley and tackled the man to the ground, hearing the knife clatter to the ground nearby.

He was pinned beneath her, and quickly she brought her fist to his nose. She heard it crack, and the man cried out in pain, throwing her off. Her back hit the wall, but Beca refused to show him any weakness. He had been trying to hurt Chloe, and he definitely wasn't going to get away with it. Before she had a chance to get up the man stood in front of her, punching her several times in the face. The soldier kicked his feet from under him, and watched as his shoulder hit the ground.

Immediately she ran for the knife, grabbing it and stabbing his hand as he tried to grab her. As he flinched and staggered backwards Beca saw her moment of opportunity. She slammed him against the wall, holding the knife to his throat.

"Please! Please, just let me go! I won't say anything! I don't want to die!" With a sigh Beca forced him further into the alley. "Get out of here." The brunette waited until she was certain he was gone to look for Chloe, finding the red head with her head on her knees, huddled against the wall. She threw the knife in a nearby dumpster and got to her knees in front of the woman, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Chloe flinched under her touch, and when the woman lifted her head Beca could only see fear in her bright blue eyes. The adrenaline finally calmed, and her heart wasn't racing quite as quickly. Though, her breathing was heavier than usual, her calm demeanor had returned. "Are you okay?"

No answer came, instead the woman wrapped her arms around her neck, and nearly knocked the soldier over. After a second of confusion passed, Beca wrapped her arms around Chloe, muttering comforting words in her ear. It was the soldier in her coming out again. She was, after all, highest rank in her unit. If something went wrong, or she lost a member, it was her responsibility to comfort the other soldiers and take ownership of what happened.

Whenever heat came down on them, she was the one to bear it. Her soldiers had more important things to worry about than politics. The brunette made sure they were safe, no matter if it would cost her job or her life. It was the same for Chloe, though, her feelings for the red head might have been stronger.

As Chloe pulled away, the brunette saw the woman gasp and put her hands over her mouth. Tilting her head to the side in confusion, Beca stayed perfectly still as the red head put a gentle hand to her cheek. "Your nose is bleeding." Without thinking, she put a hand under her nose, and when it drew back it was covered in warm blood. A sigh escaped her as she shook her head, "He managed to get one good punch, I guess."

"I'm so sorry," the red head reached into her purse, pulling out a small tissue and dabbing it across her face. "You definitely did not have to do that."

"Well, I didn't want you to get hurt," Beca sighed, putting her hand over Chloe's as to hold the tissue, keeping more blood from flowing to her face. "I think I'll let you walk me the entire way to my car now."

Beca stood, holding out her hand to help the red head up. It seemed to take a moment, as they were both too busy staring into each other's eyes, but eventually Chloe took the brunette's hand and they walked. Their fingers were intertwined, and on occasion the brunette would steal a glance to the woman beside her. A smile adorned her face, and it only made Beca happier.

When they finally arrived at Chloe's car, the soldier couldn't help but admire her taste. Though, she hardly took as much notice to the car as she did to the woman. The red head's hand covered hers and pulled the tissue away from her nose, and she smiled at the fact that it had finally stopped bleeding.

"Thank you," her arms wrapped around the brunette for the second time that night, and she took a sharp intake of breath. The effect this woman had on her. "You're welcome," she murmured, pulling away to look into her eyes.

"I should give you my number," Beca smirked, tilting her head to the side. "Yes, you should."

Chloe wrote her phone number on a slip of paper and handed it to the brunette, smiling at her one last time. "This time you won't have to come and save me." Hearing Beca laugh was the most amazing thing, and she wanted to hear more. "I'll always want to. Have a good night, Chloe."

She waited until Beca had turned the corner to finally sit in the driver's seat. Driving back home as fast as possible, Chloe opened the door and ran inside.

"Aubrey!" she called, "Where are you?" The red head ran into the kitchen, seeing her smiling friend. "What are you so happy about?"

"I could ask you the same thing," the blonde replied, her smile only growing wider. "Since you asked first, Chloe. I want you to meet Jesse."

Her brow rose, but as soon as she saw the tall, dark haired man walk out from the living room she smiled. He returned the smile, and luckily he wasn't wearing the army uniform Aubrey hated seeing him in. "It's really nice to meet you, Chloe," Jesse shook her hand, still smiling. "Aubrey's told me a lot about you in her letters."

"All good, I hope," she stole a glance to the blonde, who rolled her eyes. Jesse only laughed, nodding his head. "Definitely all good, but I do have something I want to ask you."

"Name it," Chloe smiled, "I can do a favor for someone who makes Aubrey this happy." The red head smiled as Aubrey came to stand beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Well, we're having dinner tomorrow with a friend from my unit. We'd love it if you could come."

"Tomorrow?" her smile slightly dipped, turning somewhat into a frown. When she met Aubrey's eyes Chloe felt incredibly guilty, and sighed. "Yeah, that works. I'll just have to adjust some plans."

Surprisingly, she felt Aubrey's arms wrap around her, practically squeezing her to death. "Thank you!" The red head laughed, shaking her head, "You're welcome."

Yet, as Chloe walked to her room she couldn't help but think about Beca. The brunette had already saved her life, and she was going to cancel a simple dinner with her? What was she going to think? Why did she care so much about what the mysterious girl thought? She sighed, throwing her purse on her nightstand and looking out her window. Whatever happened tomorrow was definitely going to be interesting.


	3. Hello Again

The day seemed to pass in a contortion of stress and rushing. Both Aubrey and Jesse were in the kitchen, scrambling over the food to prepare. Of course, Chloe was helping, but it didn't seem as if they wanted her help. Though, her mind was in a very different place than the upcoming dinner. What was she going to tell Beca? Surely she would understand, wouldn't she? It seemed ridiculous to be so frantic over someone she'd barely met; yet it felt right.

With a sigh Chloe pulled out her cell phone, seeing the text the brunette had sent the night before with her number in it. A small smile sprouted, and the red head couldn't help but shake her head. The shorter woman had saved her life, but how had she learned to fight like that? Was she a spy or something? It was amazing, and her mind couldn't seem to stop straying from thoughts of Beca.

She was seemingly perfect. Sure, they had only just met, but nothing seemed to be wrong with her. Chloe could already imagine having a long life with her, full of affection and compassion. Already, Beca was perfect in her eyes, and nothing could be wrong with her. The red head knew it was a naive way of thinking, but it was inevitable. After pacing around her room for ten minutes, Chloe finally called, listening to the incessant ringing in her ear.

"Hello?" came the voice she'd been dying to hear for the past day, making her smile. "Beca, it's me."

"Good to hear from you, Chloe," she could practically hear the smirk in the brunette's voice. "I knew it wouldn't take you long to call."

"Oh, you know everything, do you?" they both laughed, enjoying the simple act of talking to each other. "Listen, Beca, there's something I need to tell you."

"You're not pregnant, are you?" Chloe raised her eyebrow, taken aback. "What? No!" She heard Beca's exasperated sigh through the phone, "Good, you had me worried for a second."

"I've barely known you for two days and already you're insufferable," Chloe smiled, sighing over the phone. "Beca, I have to cancel dinner tonight."

"Really?" she asked, seeming much more enthusiastic than Chloe thought she would be. "I just learned this morning that I would have to cancel."

"Why?" It took a moment for the brunette to respond, "Dinner with an old friend." Actually, Chloe took some offense. So this friend was more important than she was. What if Beca had just found another girl whom she liked better? It was outrageous for the brunette to lead her on that way, but before jumping too far into her assumptions Chloe nodded. "I understand."

"Listen, I'd still love to do something with you, Chloe," that made the woman's heart skip a beat, and the smile returned to her face. "I'd like that too. So, since I work tomorrow what about Saturday?" A gasp came from the other side of the phone, and Chloe stood from her bed, thinking something was horribly wrong. "I have to wait two whole days to see you again? I guess I'll survive."

"You almost gave me a heart attack, Beca," the red head laughed, flopping down onto her bed. "I guess I'll have to make up for it the next time I see you."

"It's a date," and as soon as the words left her mouth Chloe instantly regretted them. What was she thinking? How could she call it a date so early? As she heard silence on the other line, the red head was so afraid she had said something wrong and scared the brunette away forever. Her fears were quickly extinguished as she heard Beca speak again. "I like the sound of that."

How much more amazing could this woman be? She constantly kept Chloe on her toes, practically pulling her by a leash into her trap. Though, considering who she was thinking about Chloe didn't mind being led one bit. "I'll see you then."

"Chloe!" Aubrey's voice yelled from the kitchen, her footsteps echoing through the hall as she moved towards the staircase. "Get down here!"

"I've got to go," the red head quickly ended, "I'll see you soon." She heard Beca's chuckle, "Bye, Chloe."

The rest of her day consisted of helping Aubrey make dinner, though; there was one other thing that managed to happen. She and Jesse managed to have a conversation. However, it was a small conversation, seeing as Aubrey kept calling her away to continue helping with dinner. According to the blonde 'it had to be perfect'. Chloe wasn't surprised; it was the way Aubrey had been since college. Of course, she could be controlling, but it was her way of getting things done.

"I come home from Afghanistan just to have a war in my own kitchen," both he and Chloe laughed, but the blonde simply walked over to him and pulled him closer by the waist. "Oh please, Jesse. It's my kitchen."

Her smile was obvious as the blonde pulled Jesse in for a kiss. How Aubrey had managed to find someone so wonderful was beyond her. Not to say there weren't problems with the relationship, although, Chloe had never been in her life until after Jesse had been gone for three months on his last deployment.

"Hey, Jesse," Chloe said, making the couple separate their lips. Aubrey gave her a small glare, but the red head simply blushed in reply. "Your next deployment is going to be your last, right?"

He nodded, putting his arm around the blonde's waist. "Yeah, this coming deployment is the last one I'll be on. I could've reenlisted, but I want to spend every moment when I get home with Aubrey." They kissed again, making Chloe turn away and roll her eyes. Yet, once again the couple found themselves interrupted, only this time it was the oven that caused the disruption.

"Oh gosh!" the blonde yelled, running to the kitchen and releasing an exasperated sigh as the doorbell rang. "That'll be her, early as usual. Chloe, can you get it!"

"No problem, Aubrey!" she called, skipping towards the door and managing to land perfectly in front of it. Luckily, she was wearing a nice skirt and shirt, so the red head was perfectly prepared. After letting out a huff of air to calm herself down, she put on her signature smile and opened the door.

"Hi, I'm-" Chloe stopped in her tracks, gaping slightly at the short brunette in front of her. "Beca?"

"Chloe?" the brunette raised her eyebrow, folding her arms behind her back. "What are you doing here?" She watched Chloe stutter, obviously just as surprised as she was. "I live here, what are you doing here?" Beca looked behind the red head, hoping Jesse would come to save her, but unfortunately, that was not the case. "Aubrey and Jesse invited me to dinner. I'm a friend of his."

"Wait, you're the friend from Jesse's unit that's coming to dinner?" with a nod, Beca immediately felt guilt crawl into her stomach. Seeing Chloe glare at her only made it worse. "When-"

"Becaw!" finally, her friend came behind Chloe, inviting her into the house. "You're early, not like I expected anything different!" He pulled her in for an embrace, and as much as she disliked hugs, from Jesse it was different. "Good to see you too, Jesse." Beca smirked, pulling away. "What's it been? A day? Too long."

"Totally," the man smiled, putting his arm around Beca's shoulders and turning to the red head. "Chloe, this is-"

"I know," the brunette's gaze was immediately sorrowful, trying to tell Chloe how sorry she was, but it didn't seem to be working. "Oh, you two have met?" Beca pulled herself away from Jesse, nodding slightly. "Yeah, I was selling my mixes to Amy and we met at the club."

"Oh, right!" completely oblivious to the tension between the two women, he smiled at Chloe. "You work there right?" Chloe nodded, letting the smile return to her face, but Beca could see through the facade. She was still very angry with her. "Yeah, Fat Amy's an interesting boss."

"I'll bet," he shrugged, leading the two into the living room. With a sigh, Beca sat on the couch next to Chloe, seeing as Jesse sat across from them there was no way to politely move. It wasn't that she wanted to be away from the brunette, not entirely. She enjoyed their proximity, just not when the red head was angry at her.

She cast her eyes on Chloe, once again trying to convey her apology. This time, the red head seemed to understand. The slight nod of Chloe's head was acknowledgement, but it still burned to see the glare in her eyes. Beca gulped, about to talk when she was interrupted.

"Beca!" the blonde walked in, and Beca politely stood to greet her. She was about to shake Aubrey's hand, but instead found herself pulled into an embrace. "No need for handshakes, Beca," they pulled away, Aubrey smiling. "We've known each other long enough."

"I guess we have," the shorter woman smiled, pulling away and sitting next to Chloe. "Oh, Jesse, before I forget," she leaned forward, giving him a smirk. "Cynthia Rose is here."

"You've got to be kidding," Jesse laughed, shaking his head and smiling goofily. "This town is in for a big change." Beca couldn't help but laugh, "Well, she already flirted her way through the waitresses in the bar a few miles from here."

"Already? Wow she works fast," at Aubrey's eyebrow raise, Beca was quick to explain. "Cynthia Rose is a Staff Sergeant in our unit, and she's also very interested in women." For a moment, Beca watched the confusion on Aubrey's face. It took all her willpower not to laugh as the blonde's eyes filled with realization. "Oh," was the only response that came, obviously not wanting to be judgmental. "And, Beca, are you the same?"

Out of the corner of her eye, the brunette saw Chloe's interest in the question. The red head had leaned forward, putting her hands on her knees. Her blue eyes were focused on the brunette, and all it did was put more butterflies in Beca's stomach. The soldier cleared her throat, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm open to the possibility," she smirked, tilting her head. "Why? Are you offering?" Beca heard Chloe's giggle beside her, but didn't turn her head, in hopes the smile would remain on her face. "Hey! Aubrey's my girl, go get your own."

Jesse wrapped his arm around the blonde, making Beca smile slightly. They really were good for each other. Although, how the woman was able to stand his constant movie references and jokes was beyond her. She found it nice that he'd found someone just right for him. After all, the man had been looking for a while. She'd even helped him find women before, but Aubrey was one of the few he managed to find on his own. For that, Beca couldn't help but be proud. Her best friend had finally found what he was looking for, and though there were bumps in the road, the two always seemed to come out stronger because of it.

"Well, Jesse and I will go set the table," Aubrey said, tugging Jesse up by the hand, though Beca was suspicious if they were actually going to set the table. "You and Chloe should catch up, trade stories. I'm sure she'd like that."

Before the brunette could protest, Jesse and Aubrey had already left the room. With a sigh she turned to the red head, who had already stood from her seat. Her hand quickly became captured in Chloe's, and she was pulled up the stairs into the red head's room. Taking a quick look around, it was similar to what she would have thought. The walls were a fairly neutral color, but the mattress was a bright lavender, and Beca had thought the red head to be interested in bright colors.

"I know you're angry with me," Beca sighed, turning to face her as Chloe shut the door, giving them more privacy "It explains how you fought off that guy last night." The red head replied, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the door. "You were amazing."

"Chloe-"

"No, Beca," the red head interrupted, tilting her head to the side and letting her anger finally show on her face. How dare she just come into her home and act as if everything was fine. Nothing was fine. Of course, they had only met the day before, but she was offended by the fact that Beca didn't even mention the fact that she was in the army. "Since when did leaving out crucial pieces of your life become okay?"

She didn't respond. How could she not respond? Was there more she wasn't saying? The brunette had already managed hide most of her life, no more. "What were you planning to do, Beca? Spend what little time you had away from war with me and then leave me off to dry for a year? Were you going to come back and then tell me, or would you have just kept me in the dark?"

Silence. There was only silence. She didn't respond. She didn't react. The only thing the brunette seemed to do was turn her head to the ground. Chloe couldn't take it anymore. She walked over to the brunette and smacked her across the face, impulse taking over.

"Answer me!" Chloe was about to smack her again, but the brunette caught her arm in her hand. "I don't know!" The women were breathing heavily, both of them consumed with pain and guilt. When Beca finally let go of her hand, she turned away. "I don't know. I've never... I've never been in this situation before."

"What do you mean?" Chloe's breathing had returned to normal, and all she could do was question the brunette. Beca turned back to look at her, a stare of sorrow and guilt. "I've never fallen for someone, especially not as fast as I've fallen for you."

"And I know it's wrong," before Chloe had a chance to speak, Beca interrupted her. "Don't try to tell me it's not. You were pretty angry that I didn't tell you I was in the army. So, just imagine me trying to keep any other secrets from you." A small laugh escaped her; the soldier's sarcasm always seemed to make her laugh.

"Not that I would. Trust me, keeping secrets from beautiful women is the last thing I want to do," Chloe laughed, giving the brunette a smile. "Even when I'm mad at you you're still flirting with me." She watched the brunette blush as she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you are easy to talk to."

Chloe shook her head, wondering if the smile would be permanently etched on her face whenever she was around Beca. How could she still be angry? Well, she wasn't. There was no possible way the red head could be angry when the shorter woman resorted to making her laugh.

"I have an idea," she smiled, walking over and putting a finger to the brunette's lips before she could argue. "And before you say anything you have to hear me out." After waiting patiently as the shorter woman sighed, Beca finally nodded.

"We'll go out tomorrow," Chloe said, taking her finger from her lips and continuing to speak even as Beca raised her eyebrow. "You can take me for dinner and if we decide it won't work out we go our separate ways.

"But, if this works out, and we decide we want to keep seeing each other we'll take it from there. It'll be one step at a time, and when you have to leave for deployment again we'll find a way to deal with it. This is your last one, right?"

"How did you know?" the brunette asked, ignoring Chloe's rule of silence for her one question. "I asked Jesse about it, and since it's his I figured it's yours since you two are pretty close, but stop changing the subject. What do you think?"

Her hand slipped into Beca's, intertwining their fingers. The brunette's eyes traveled down to stare at them, and when they looked up her hazel eyes met her blue. Chloe couldn't help but notice they were absolutely gorgeous, much like the rest of her.

"Okay. Let's give this a shot."


	4. Date Night

Chloe had practically spent the entire afternoon in her room. She'd had hours to pick the perfect outfit for her date with Beca, and yet she hadn't even decided if she would wear pants or a skirt. With a groan she flopped onto her bed, looking over at the clock. Beca wouldn't be there for another hour and a half, but if last night was any clue, then she knew the brunette would be there early.

There was definitely pressure. The red head didn't just want to look her best, but better than her best. She was doing this for Beca, the amazing woman who had already managed to sneak into her heart. How had the brunette done it? Chloe didn't know, and frankly she didn't want to. No matter the reason behind it, and no matter what happened Beca was someone Chloe wanted in her life.

Yes, it was too soon to tell Beca that. Chloe wasn't incompetent when it came to dating, seeing as she did quite a bit of it in college. The red head pulled herself out of her thoughts, groaning loudly and rubbing her temple with her fingers. There was a soft knock at the door, but the red head didn't bother to get up. Though, that didn't stop the blonde that came in. Out of the corner of her eye the woman could see her friend's smile, and she sat up in response.

"What do you want?" Aubrey's reaction was not what she expected. The blonde smiled and sat next to her. "No need to be so snappy." The red head sighed, shaking her head and holding it in her hands. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."

"I know," her friend wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and Chloe immediately looked up at her. "I still have no idea what I'm going to wear for my date with Beca." She watched Aubrey raise her eyebrow, and was about to ask what she was thinking, but didn't need to. "No matter what you wear you'll look amazing, Chloe, and if Beca doesn't think so then she's not worth it."

"Everything has to be perfect," she hit her friend's shoulder after Aubrey rolled her eyes. "It's true! It's the first date, and if I don't get this right nothing else will happen!"

"You sound like you're dating in high school, Chloe," Aubrey laughed, earning another slap on her shoulder. "Look, all I know is that you're the most amazing friend, and you'll probably make the best girlfriend. I'll bet Beca's more nervous about taking you out on this date than you are about going on it. So, instead of being so nervous let me help you get ready." Chloe raised her eyebrow, why was she being so nice? Even in college Aubrey hadn't offered to help her get ready for dates, saying she needed to learn to do it by herself.

"I know what you're doing," Chloe smirked, tilting her head to the side. "You just want me out of the house so you can be alone with Jesse." The blush of her friend's cheeks was the signal she was right, even when Aubrey tried to deny it. "That's not true!"

"You say no but your cheeks say yes!" They laughed, and when they were done the blonde sent her friend a fake glare. "Okay, let's get you ready before I change my mind about helping you."

In her apartment, Beca was having a similar problem. Though, she was already dressed and ready to go, she had yet to decide where they were going to go. The brunette had spent the day making mixes and taking the money she had received from Amy to the bank, and Beca managed to make three mixes in one day. They were still in need of editing, but it didn't matter at the moment.

She sighed, thinking of all the places they could go. The soldier ran her fingers through her hair, trying desperately to think. After a while, Beca went on her computer and looked up something, but soon enough she had an idea all her own. The calls were made shortly after and everything was planned and ready, all she had to do was get Chloe.

As she drove, Beca became more and more nervous. Her stomach began to churn, and for a moment she wondered if pulling the car over was an option. No, it wasn't. The night was going to be perfect for Chloe, it had to be. Beca scoffed at herself, it was only the first date and she was already taking extremes. The soldier parked, sitting in the car and staring at the clock on her dashboard. She was early, incredibly early.

The brunette definitely didn't go inside. She didn't want to be so early as Chloe wasn't ready, but she certainly did not want to be late. Fifteen minutes passed faster than Beca ever thought they could, and with a sigh she finally exited the car. It was probably the most nerve wrecking moment of her life. She hadn't been on many dates, practically the only one she'd ever been on was with Jesse, and it they had only become friends from that experience.

Beca finally gathered the nerve to get out of the car, only to find herself standing awkwardly beside it. Looking at her watch, she saw twenty-five minutes had gone by. She knew if she didn't knock on the door, she never would. The soldier took a deep breath, thinking how ridiculous it was to be so nervous for a date when she had fought in wars. It was different, Chloe was different. She wanted the red head to be happy, and that's what she was going to make happen.

After ringing the doorbell, she stood anxiously outside the house. The brunette was constantly shifting her weight, wondering if she was dressed appropriately. Nothing she wore was different than something she'd usually wear. Dark jeans with a shirt and jacket, but for some reason she found herself wondering if it was unacceptable. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to change her mind as Chloe opened the door.

"Beca!" the red head smiled, making Beca smile back. Before Beca knew it, Chloe's arms were around her neck and she was pulled into a bone crushing embrace. "Nice to see you too, Chloe," the brunette smirked, pulling away. "Have I ever told you that you have a habit of invading personal space."

"You know you love it," watching Chloe walk past her, she raised her eyebrow, shutting the door behind them. "I thought you weren't the type to tease." She heard Chloe laugh, and rushed to catch up with her. "I guess you should stop assuming things, shouldn't you?"

Quickly, Beca caught up to the red head, smiling as she did. "I should." The brunette smiled as she opened the car door for Chloe, who smiled in return. With a sigh, she finally got into the car.

"Beca, I have a favor to ask," hazel eyes met blue, and Beca nodded her head. "Anything." Chloe laughed, shaking her head. "I don't think you'll be saying that after I ask you."

"Maybe you should stop assuming things," the red head smiled, turning her gaze to the ground. Using her own snark against her, Beca was certainly very good at flirting. "I don't want to go to some fancy dinner or anything like that," as she lifted her eyes, and saw the brunette's arched brow. "It's not that I don't want to eventually, but for now I don't know how long we have together. When your next deployment comes you'll be gone, and I want to know who you really are.

"So here's my request," she sighed, trying to decipher the soldier's expression, but finding it more difficult than she thought. "I just want to go back to your place. Maybe we could watch a movie or just do something, I don't care what it is. I don't want you to try and impress me, I want to see you for you. You can try to impress me when you come back from deployment."

They sat in silence, and Chloe didn't push. She wanted Beca to really think about it. Of course, the red head wasn't going to decline a dinner if that's what the brunette wanted, but she wanted to know Beca for who she was, not by fancy dinners.

"Okay," she was pulled out of her thoughts, raising an eyebrow at the brunette. "Really?" Chloe beamed, and Beca's chuckle was too adorable to miss. "Of course, I'm the one taking you out on a date, remember? We're going to do whatever you like."

"Oh really?" Chloe asked, a devious smirk on her face and a glint in her eye. The brunette rolled her eyes, "To an extent." She laughed, putting on her seatbelt. "You're a killjoy."

The brunette nudged her shoulder, being increasingly playful as the drive went on. When they finally parked, Chloe was about to open her door, but Beca was quicker than she realized. Her door was already opened, and the brunette stood, holding it open. "Thank you," she said, getting out and taking Beca's hand.

The small spark at their touch was undeniable. Her heart began to race, and her thoughts traveled faster than she could perceive them. She intertwined their fingers, and saw Beca smile from the corner of her eyes. "You live here?" she asked, breaking the deafening silence.

Sheepishly, the soldier nodded, shrugging her shoulders as she led the red head to the second floor of the apartment building, where her own apartment was located. "It's not much, but it's something to come home to." The brunette slowly opened the door, holding it for Chloe. She hadn't expected company, but luckily the apartment wasn't a mess, seeing as she rarely had time to use it.

Her DJing equipment still stayed on her small desk in the corner, and apparently it was the first thing that caught Chloe's eye. Not the plain walls or the red couch, but the one thing that made the room personal to her. "That's what you use to make mixes, right?" The red head immediately wandered over to the desk, sitting in the chair and spinning to face the brunette. "Yeah, that's it."

"I hear your mixes all the time in the club, they're amazing." A blush immediately came to Beca's cheeks. Hearing a compliment from someone close to her was unusual. Frankly, it was because she was only close to Jesse. Of course, she had made friends in her unit, but the only person to hear her mixes other than the public was him. "They're not that great."

"Are you kidding?" Chloe seemed shocked, but the brunette simply shrugged her shoulders. "Beca, your mixes are the best music I hear all day. They practically make my job worth doing." Beca smirked, raising her eyebrow. "I thought the money would be the thing that makes your job worth doing."

The red head rolled her eyes, making the soldier laugh. "Okay, maybe your mixes are the second greatest part of my day." Beca sat on the couch, looking over at her. "Glad to know you like them."

"Can I listen to some of them," the brunette felt a churn in her stomach. Could she actually let someone listen to her mixes on the fourth day of actually knowing them. They were a part of her. When she couldn't convey how she felt Beca always turned to her mixes, relaxing herself in the beats. After a sigh, she finally nodded, standing up from the couch and moving to her computer. "Sure, just let me find one that I think you'd like."

She let her mouse roam over the hundreds of files she had made over the years. Beca had started mixing in her late high school years and hadn't stopped since. Some of the files in her computer were in fact from her high school days, granted those mixes were probably awful, but they were like time capsules. Shaking her head as she continued to glance through the mixes, she felt Chloe's hand on her shoulder.

"You are spending way too much time trying to find the perfect mix," the red head smiled, taking Beca's hand in hers. The soldier gulped and felt blood rush to her cheeks. "Well, for you it has to be a good one." Chloe laughed, resting her head against Beca's arm. "Do you think I could help you make a mix someday."

Beca's grin only widened, and the soldier took Chloe's hands, standing her up. At Chloe's raised eyebrow she smiled, shrugging her shoulders. "We could make one right now." Her heart pounded in her chest. She'd never made a mix with anyone before. Frankly, she hadn't let anyone see her mixes besides Jesse. Now, there she stood, about to create a mix with someone she barely knew. It was more frightening than going to war, because in war the soldier didn't have to release anything private, she just had to fight her way through.

"What do you mean?" the brunette took both of Chloe's hands in her own, holding them gently. "Can you sing?" She smiled as the woman's cheeks turned red, and her beautiful blue eyes turned to the ground. "I can, but I might not be as good as you."

"Don't be ridiculous," the brunette laughed, "Almost everyone's singing is better than mine." Chloe's eyes finally looked back into hers, and that simple act sent shivers up her spine. "Okay, fine, I'll sing." She smiled, kissing the top of the red head's hands.

"Can I pick a song?" Beca eagerly nodded, shrugging her shoulders but not letting go of the woman's hands. "Go ahead." She watched Chloe take a deep breath, it was rattled, but the brunette pushed it off as nerves. Her eyes seemed to find Chloe's again, and the woman began to sing."

"Her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shinin'. Her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her tryin'. She's so beautiful, and I tell her everyday." Beca found herself lost in Chloe's voice. It was so beautiful, so pure. How Chloe could even think she didn't have an amazing voice was beyond her. Of course, with the allure of Chloe's voice she didn't have time to think of a song to mix with it, but she didn't think. The song flowed into her mind, and she sang along.

"I was thinking 'bout her, thinking 'bout me, thinking 'bout us, what we gonna be. Open my eyes. It was only just a dream." The red head continued to sing, and Beca harmonized her voice, letting Chloe have the high part of their duet. "It was only just a dream."

"When I see you're face, there's not a thing that I would change. 'Cause you're amazing, just the way you are." Their singing was quiet, but to the women it couldn't be louder. Chloe's voice spoke to Beca's soul, and very few things were able to do that. Her heart continued its pounding with every note the red head sang, and as they finished their last note, the soldier noticed Chloe's voice crack, but she continued smiling.

"Wow," Beca whispered, laughing softly as the red head blushed. "You are absolutely incredible." Chloe looked back up at her, and after finally releasing the red head's hand Beca cleared her throat. "Your voice kind of cracked at the end, though."

She watched Chloe's eyes flick around the room, and she raised her eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. Something was definitely wrong. Though the red head denied it, whatever was troubling her she could definitely see it in her reaction.

"Chloe, you can tell me what's wrong," Beca sat both of them on the couch, feeling awkward because emotions weren't her strong point. However, when it came to Chloe she would be whatever the red head needed her to be.

"I have nodes," it was rushed, but Beca somehow managed to understand. Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. "Chloe, I'm so sorry, if I'd known I wouldn't have asked you to sing."

"Beca, you're fine. I wanted to sing with you, I just didn't think you would let me. It's not that bad, I just can't sing above, well, never mind. It doesn't matter, what matters is that I'm on a date with the most perfect woman in the world, and the fact that you care so much about my nodes says a lot."

With a small smile, Beca put one of the few movies she owned into the player and sat back on the couch, letting Chloe rest her head against her shoulder. Truthfully, the brunette was paying little to no attention to the movie. She didn't care. The only reason she had the movie in the first place was because Jesse insisted she bought it. Of course, she hated it, and as she looked down it seemed as if Chloe wasn't paying too much attention either.

The red head's eyes were closed, and her breathing was deep and slow. It didn't take a genius to know she was sleeping. After carefully moving to turn the TV off, Beca lifted the red head in her arms, grateful for the countless hours of army training that made her strong enough to pick the woman up. She started walking towards her room, taking care not to drop her. As Chloe stirred in her arms the brunette smiled, shaking her head fondly.

Chloe's hand found it's way to her shirt, and her fingers clung to the fabric. The soldier was tempted to remove it, but decided against, not wanting to wake her. She gently placed Chloe on the bed, fully prepared to sleep on the couch, but unfortunately the red head was having none of it. Her hand couldn't be peeled from her shirt, and in the end Beca found herself scooting next to the red head, and holding her tenderly in her arms.

Beca reached over to the lamp on her night stand and turned out the light, feeling Chloe's head move to be on her shoulder once again. She sighed, kissing the top of her head softly as she closed her eyes. They took comfort in each other's warmth, and in their sleep moved closer to each other. The moon shone brightly before giving way to the sun, but the two barely noticed. They were too comfortable being with each other.


	5. Never Let Me Go

Chloe stirred, groaning softly as she nestled against the warmth beside her. She opened her eyes, finding herself resting on the shoulder of the beautiful brunette. Her arm was draped over Beca's stomach, and surprisingly, the soldier's arm rested over her own. As her stomach gradually moved up and down Chloe's arm moved with it, and she smiled softly as she continued listening to the brunette's slow breathing.

After a short while, she began drawing patterns on the brunette's stomach, but quickly stopped, letting her hand be still. Beca finally woke, opening her eyes but quickly shutting them again, smiling and shifting slightly. "Morning," she drawled, clearly not fully awake yet.

"You're cute when you're tired," the red head smiled, kissing Beca on the cheek. "Good morning." Her fingers slowly crept under the brunette's shirt, drawing patterns on her stomach. She quickly stopped as she felt a different texture. Beca's muscles tensed beneath her fingers, and the soldier let out a harsh breath.

"What's this?" Chloe asked, her voice barely above a whisper and her hand shaking over the soft yet bumpy skin of the scar. Beca's hand wrapped around hers, easing it down to fully touch the scar. The red head gulped, looking up into Beca's eyes, expecting to find anger or pain, but only found a smile on her lips.

"I was shot two years ago," the red head gasped lightly, quickly putting her free hand over her mouth. She didn't mean to be so insensitive about it, but all the brunette did was laugh. "How did it happen?" Chloe could barely manage to get her voice above a whisper, but Beca didn't seem bothered.

"Jesse and I were doing patrols, checking the perimeter and things like that. I looked over and saw hostiles he didn't. They started shooting so I pushed him down. I got hit, and Jesse tried to shield me so I didn't get shot again. Luckily the other members of our unit got there and took the rest down. I did manage to take out one of them.

"The last thing I remember from that day is Jesse making a ridiculous movie quote and telling me to stay awake. I blacked out and when I woke up I was in a hospital bed. Jesse was sleeping in the chair beside me. I don't think he even left the hospital while I was there. Eventually the whole unit showed up, and we had a pretty good laugh about it, but they were all worried. It didn't take a genius to see that.

"When I got out Jesse insisted that I stay with him and Aubrey. I said no, but he didn't give up. Aubrey was already waiting for us in the car outside the hospital. I guess I didn't really have a choice. That's Jesse for you," she sighed, looking down at the red head.

"Did it hurt?" it seemed like a ridiculous question to ask, but Beca knew the woman was serious. The questions didn't bother her, it wasn't unusual for people to want to know. She nodded, sighing softly. "Yeah, it hurt. A lot, actually."

Chloe's fingers continued to draw patterns over the scar, and it took all of the brunette's willpower not to tense. Sure, it had happened several years ago, but the area was still sensitive to the touch. She wouldn't admit it, but the soldier was very afraid of being shot again. After a while of silence, Beca was about to get up, but stopped when she felt the red head's lips against her cheek.

"Did you ever talk about it?" Beca shook her head, smiling sadly. Her fingers laced with Chloe's, but the brunette remained as silent as ever. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the woman's smile, but refused to look over. "Well, if you ever do need to talk about it, I'm always here."

"Okay," her voice cracked, and red immediately crept to her cheeks. She sighed quietly, keeping her gaze away from Chloe. Though, that didn't work out the way she wanted. She felt her hand move, and as it made contact with her skin Beca could feel the warmth radiating from her. Complying with the hand on her cheek, the brunette turned to look into Chloe's eyes.

She smiled again, moving to be closer. Their noses brushed against each other, barely touching but leaving sparks when they did. Chloe moved forward, bringing their foreheads together. The soldier's heart skipped a beat, or maybe several. There was nothing she could do to stop it, and truthfully Beca didn't want it to stop. The feeling was so new, so amazing. She'd never felt more alive in her entire life.

The red head moved forward again, and there was the slightest moment of hesitation. Their lips brushed together, but the gap was quickly closed. It was the smallest and chaste of kisses, and it was over as soon as it began. Somehow it elicited something, and though they pulled away, their faces remained centimeters from each other.

Beca wanted more, needed more. She brought her hand to cup Chloe's cheek before pulling the read head in again, capturing the woman's lips with her own. Of course, Chloe didn't seem to mind. The brunette sighed into the kiss, bringing their bodies as close together as they could possibly be. They were molded together as one.

A fire had been ignited in Beca's mind, and the single kiss seemed to fuel the inferno. For once her mind was clear, and all she could focus on was Chloe. The way they fit perfectly together, how she wanted to stay. She wasn't running, even if Beca expected her too. This one woman was defying every cynical view she'd created about the world. It had only taken seconds, but Chloe managed to break through every shard of stone protecting her heart. Those blue eyes pierced through her very soul and made her see things in a new light.

It was Chloe who pulled away, and though Beca hated the fact that she needed oxygen in that moment, she was glad to open her eyes and see Chloe's smiling face. The soldier smiled back, giving a kiss to the woman's nose. Hearing the red head giggle was possibly the cutest thing she'd ever heard.

"I hate to have to do this," Chloe sighed, nestling her head into the crook of Beca's neck. The brunette looked down at her, running her fingers through her red locks with an arched brow. "I should be going home and getting ready for work." She nodded, of course that would be it. The woman wanted to leave, not that it surprised her. Her thoughts were silenced as Chloe's lips softly pressed to her neck.

"But I really don't want to go anywhere," even though it wasn't her intention, Beca's grip tightened on her. She couldn't help the smile on her face, because for the first time in a very long time, the person she cared most about didn't want to leave her. "Well, I've got an idea for you," Chloe raised her head, giving the soldier a confused look, which only made her laugh.

"I'll take you home, and you can go to work. Then, when you're done, I'll come pick you up. We can come back here or we can go somewhere else. We'll do whatever you want, but it'll just be you and me. Just like now." Chloe shook her head, a stupid grin on her face as she pulled Beca in for another kiss.

The soldier was truly perfect in every way. There was nothing wrong with her. She was sweet, funny, sarcastic, but there were so many things about the brunette that no one else got to see. Her loving, caring side was plain in her dark blue eyes. How could no one see it? Chloe wasn't certain of anything, but apparently neither was Beca. That adorable hesitation in her actions was what made the red head love her even more.

Love, what a strange word. They'd barely known each other a week and already she was thinking about love. Usually Chloe wouldn't even consider the possibility of love until six months of dating. How was it that this woman, this soldier, could just walk into her life and be everything she needed? Maybe it was just the charm of a military woman, but Chloe knew it was so much more than that.

"I like the sound of that," the red head muttered as she pulled away from Beca's lips, smiling as the brunette opened her eyes again. She stood, raising her arms to the ceiling and stretching her tired muscles. The red head sighed as she looked over to the clock, seeing it was past noon. A small groan escaped her, but it was quickly silenced after feeling the soldier's arms wrap around her waist. "You really know how to treat a girl, don't you?"

The soldier's warm breath tickled her neck as she laughed, and made the woman smile. "Where did you come from, Beca?" Immediately she felt Beca stiffen behind her, and the brunette moved to stand in front of her, a confused expression crossing her face. "I don't understand the question."

"You walk into the club after I've been working there for seven months. Not once had I ever seen your face before, yes I knew you were on deployment, but you've known Jesse and Aubrey for over two years. I've known Aubrey longer than that. I don't know why she didn't mention you, because she mentioned Jesse before, but it doesn't matter.

"Somehow you just come into the club and are probably the nicest customer I've ever worked with. Then you save my life and risked messing up your beautiful face just to save a waitress who has to live with her best friend because she's that poor. Now I'm in your apartment. You were going to sleep on the couch instead of your own bed because you didn't want to bother me while I was sleeping. Yet, you stayed with me, all because I wouldn't let you go."

She paused to try and figure out the brunette's reaction, but it didn't take much effort. Beca simply stood in front of her smiling, and shrugged her shoulders once or twice. The soldier acted as if it was nothing, but everything she did brought butterflies to her stomach and put a haze in her mind. It was something she hadn't expected to find for a long time, much less with an army woman.

"I wake up after the best night of sleep I've ever had, and you open up to me. You tell me things you don't have to. I mean, you were shot, I doubt you tell many people that. Look, I don't really know how to explain all of this. It's going really fast, and it's hard for me to process it all, but-"

"We could slow down," the brunette interrupted, causing Chloe to raise her eyebrow. "I know this is moving really fast, Chloe, I'm having trouble with it too, but- I can't-" The red head smiled, nodding slightly and waiting patiently for her to continue. After she took a deep breath, Beca finally continued. "I need you in my life, Chloe. I don't care what I have to do, or how fast or slow this relationship has to move. Frankly, I don't care what happens to me. I kept you safe that night in the alley and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you stay that way.

"I've only known you for a few days, I know, but I wouldn't be saying this if it wasn't true." Chloe's stomach churned, and in seconds her mind created infinite possibilities, some bad, some good, but nothing she'd thought of could have compared to what Beca actually said.

"I love you, Chloe, and I will do whatever you want me to do," she was so vulnerable, so sincere that it brought tears to Chloe's eyes. The woman rushed forward and kissed her. She felt the soldier's arms wrap around her waist, and Chloe knew nothing in the world could compare. For a long time they stayed that way, taking comfort in the other's arms around them, but eventually Chloe pulled away. Their foreheads were pressed together, and a smile adorned each of their faces.

"I only need you to do one thing, Beca," Chloe whispered, forcing herself to meet Beca's eyes. She gulped, but Beca's arms brought her the strength to say what she needed to.

"Never let me go."


	6. What Will It Take?

"Cynthia Rose is bringing a date to dinner tonight?" Aubrey yelled, earning Beca's raised eyebrow. "A date?" the brunette asked, looking at Jesse for answers. "She's always been the one night stand sort of person."

"Maybe she changed," Jesse shrugged, going back to help Aubrey in the kitchen. "I told her you would be here, Becs, so I'm guessing she'll be on her best behavior." Beca smirked, looking over at Chloe who seemed incredibly confused.

"Cynthia Rose, like I said, is a member of our unit. Since I'm the highest-ranking person in our unit I give the orders and call the shots. Which means I can make them do pushups if they make me mad." Jesse's laugh came from the kitchen, "Usually we complain, but in the end they make us stronger. It's like punishment with benefits."

She smiled at Chloe, who was giggling softly. A week had passed since their first date, and Beca would be lying if she didn't say it was the best week of her life. Nothing else could compare. Chloe was perfect, an angel. No one the soldier had ever met had been like her. "You sound like a very fair leader," Beca smirked, tilting her head to the side. "Is that sarcasm I hear, Miss Beale?"

"Well, I think I'd get in trouble if I said yes Sergeant Major Mitchell," the brunette wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist, still smirking. "I can't make a beautiful woman do pushups," she looked relieved, but the brunette wasn't done. "Your punishment will be different."

"Oh please, Beca," Chloe teased, putting her arms around the brunette's neck. "You couldn't punish me even if you wanted to, you big softie." She couldn't deny it. Chloe changed her. She used to be so silent, so apathetic. Yet when she was with her, everything changes. Every cynical view she had on the world changed, and Beca believed some people could be trusted.

Chloe was always on her mind, day and night. Most dreams were of her and how the red head made her smile, made her laugh. Of course, she only had pleasant dreams like that when she wasn't having nightmares. Not that she would ever admit it to anyone, but the night was one of the things she hated. After being at war and being ambushed several times in the dead of night while she was sleeping, that fear came back from deployment with her.

"You okay?" Chloe's voice pulled her from the abyss of her thoughts, and she shook her head to clear it. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking." It was sweet the way the woman worried about her. Usually the soldier would be irritated with someone coddling her, but Chloe made it seem so sweet and thoughtful Beca loved every second of it.

Their lips came together, and Beca could never get enough of the feeling. Whenever Chloe's lips touched hers it send sparks through her skin. Every nerve was on fire, and shivers traveled up her spine. The doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts and their kiss. She groaned, glaring at the door. "People just love to come in at the worst time."

"Well, we can always continue later," the red head smiled, kissing Beca's cheek. "Maybe I don't want to continue later." She could only watch Chloe smirk as she walked over to the door. "You will."

"You are cruel to me!" the red head heard Beca yell, smirking slightly. Without another word to the brunette Chloe opened the door, smiling at the African American woman standing before her, but her eyes quickly widened at the woman standing beside her. "Stacie!"

"Chloe?" the woman quickly hugged her friend, inviting the both of them into the house before asking her questions. "I didn't know you were dating someone. How long have you two been together?"

"You ask a lot of questions, Chloe," the stranger said, but before she could embarrass herself further Beca walked over, and she felt the brunette's strong arm wrap around her waist. "How are you Cynthia Rose?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I know who you are. I'm looking for Sarge; you might know her as Beca. You know, the short brunette who swore she'd never fall in love and used to scowl at the thought," Chloe smiled, looking over at Beca's playful glare. "Good to see you too."

Cynthia Rose laughed, pulling Beca over for a hug. "You know I'm just playin', Sarge. I missed you. It's been a week already? Weird, isn't it?"

The red head smiled, raising her eyebrow at Beca's nickname. She'd never mentioned that name before, and she was curious as to why. Though, Chloe knew better than to just blurt it out in public, but she was definitely going to ask her later.

"Beca," she interrupted, noticing how Stacie was hardly receiving any attention. "This is Stacie, she works with me at the club. She was working with me the night I met you."

"My pleasure," thankfully the brunette's shook hands, but Chloe could see Stacie's eyes roaming her soldier's body. "Pleasure's mine. You're hot, by the way."

"How come all the women want you, Sarge? It's just not fair," by this point the red head was tired of Cynthia Rose's teasing. Without giving Beca any time to react, she tugged on the brunette's belt loops and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "Well, she's not allowed to flirt with anyone but me now, so that should leave some opportunity for you."

"I knew you'd find her someday, Sarge," Chloe watched Beca's cheeks turn red, but all she could do was smile. She led them to the couches in the living room and they started talking. Cynthia Rose, who said they could call her Rose or CR for short, and Beca began exchanging war stories. Of course, Chloe had known it was dangerous overseas, but she hadn't known quite how dangerous.

Tension grew thick in the room, especially as Cynthia Rose began to talk about how Beca was shot. It was a very different story than the one Beca had told her, not in subject but in detail.

"You should've seen it," the African American soldier's voice was proud, but the red head could see the strain in Beca's shoulders. It was like she was willing her friend not to speak, and failing. "We ran over as soon as we heard the first gunshot."

"Sarge was already on the ground, and Jesse was just hovering over her. We fired and ran in, getting close to the both of them. Sarge was fading in and out, and Jesse over there made some movie quote; I don't remember what it was. I do remember a lot of blood. You got hit really bad. I don't think you got out of the hospital for two months and-"

"Two months, three weeks, six days," she looked over and saw Beca staring at the floor; obviously her mind was in a different place than her body. Chloe took the brunette's hand gently, intertwining their fingers. When Beca looked up at her she nodded silently, knowing she'd talk about it later.

"Well, anyway, everyone lived and all was well." Unfortunately, the last statement wasn't entirely true, but it wasn't Chloe's place to dispute. Finally Aubrey and Jesse walked into the room, exchanging hugs and pleasantries with Stacie and Cynthia Rose.

The woman stayed by Beca's side, nuzzling closer to her girlfriend as time went on. Usually the brunette would move away, but now was different. Beca remained perfectly still, almost leaning towards Chloe. She wrapped her arm around the red head and placed a kiss to the side of her head. Shaking her head slightly, Beca cast her gaze to the ground again. Why had Cynthia Rose brought up that story? It wasn't as if everyone needed to know that she had been shot and almost killed, especially Chloe.

Her past was no one's business, and that she would bring up that incident so blatantly was ridiculous. She had half a mind to talk to her alone, but the brunette didn't want to ruin the night for everyone else. It would have to wait, and perhaps it wouldn't be talked about at all. Beca knew sometimes it was better to be silent.

She learned that two years ago. When the other members of her unit came to visit her in the hospital she hid the immense amount of pain she was in. The soldier hid her pain from the doctors, the nurses, and her friends. There was only one person able to see through her facade: Aubrey. The soldier lived with them while she was home from that particular deployment, and while Jesse didn't notice anything wrong, Aubrey came to her room one day.

It was a day she was struggling. The wound to her stomach was hurting incredibly more than usual. She knew Jesse was out for groceries, and didn't think Aubrey would notice her going back to her room. All she wanted to do was sleep, to let the pain fade into the back of her mind. Apparently it was too much to ask. No matter how hard she tried Beca couldn't find a mere second of sleep.

Just as the soldier was about to give up, Aubrey walked into the room. She never knew what made Aubrey come up, or what brought the glint of worry to the blonde's eyes, but it happened. They didn't know each other very well; after all, they had barely met several weeks earlier while the soldier still stayed in a hospital bed. Therefore, they hadn't been able to know each other, and they quite possibly disliked each other. Yet, on that day something changed.

Aubrey left the room, and at the time Beca thought she was just going to leave her alone, but when the blonde returned she held pills and water in her hand. Beca was nervous as she sat beside her, but that anxiety quickly faded as she saw the concerned look on her face.

"Can you sit up?" it was a simple question, and it was a question the soldier was embarrassed to answer. Fortunately, she didn't have to. She felt Aubrey's hand on her back, slowly and gently pulling her up. After taking the pills and Aubrey helping her drink the water she lied back down, her hand still over the wound on her stomach. "You've been lying about how much it hurts, haven't you?"

"Is it that obvious?" Beca's sarcasm coming out as she smirked, but it quickly faded as she saw Aubrey shake her head. "Jesse doesn't notice. You're good at keeping things from him, but I'm different. We're not so different, but I can see right through that act you keep putting on for everyone else." She smiled slightly, truthfully she wanted someone to notice, someone to care. It might not have been the person she expected, but the brunette was grateful nonetheless.

"You should fall asleep in twenty minutes, maybe thirty," she smiled, leaning her head into the pillow while listening to the blonde talk. "I'll stick around and make sure Jesse doesn't know anything." That was definitely something she hadn't expected. Beca thought the blonde would immediately go to Jesse and tell him everything that had happened, and how she was still in pain. Of course, she didn't want anyone to know, it was rather obvious. Still, knowing that Aubrey wouldn't say anything was a gift, and it was something the soldier didn't take lightly.

"Thank you," she replied groggily, already feeling the medication go into effect. Beca slowly closed her eyes, letting herself fall into peaceful darkness. When she woke, Aubrey was still at her side.

The gratitude Beca felt never faded, and she never forgot it. It was the reason she and Aubrey were able to get along. If that hadn't happened, Beca wasn't sure she would approve of Aubrey. The blonde seemed so uptight and stressed almost all the time.

Her cell phone ringing pulled her from her thoughts. Beca looked at the screen, her smile drooping slightly, but the brunette quickly regained her composure as she stood from the couch. After mumbling a small 'excuse me' she left the room, speaking into the phone.

"Hello?" of course the number was in her contacts, but she hadn't expected to hear from them in a long time. "Sergeant Major Mitchell?" The brunette shook her head, hating the need for the formality of her entire rank when she wasn't overseas. "Yes, I'm here, what do you want."

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, ma'am, but your unit is scheduled to go back overseas in four weeks from today," her hand clenched around the phone, almost crushing the small device. "We barely got home a week ago. That's not acceptable, my team needs more time than that."

"Sergeant Major, I'm afraid this is an order. You can't change it and neither can I. She sighed, running her hand through her hair and shaking her head. "I don't know what went on during the meeting to bring you back, but I can tell you that a lot of people were rooting for you to stay."

"Not enough," Beca sighed, leaning against the wall. "Thanks, Luke. At least I still have a month before I go back." She heard Luke's sigh through the phone, and could practically picture his sad smile in her mind. "Ignorance is bliss, Beca."

The brunette ended the call, holding her face in her hands and falling to the floor. Her back was against the wall, and thoughts raced through her head at the speed of light, if not faster. What was she going to do? Should she tell the unit, and have them counting down the days until their next deployment? It was only a month, the entire situation wasn't fair to them, wasn't fair to her.

Chloe. What would she tell Chloe? The red head would be devastated if she knew how long Beca really had to spend with her. She'd at least been hoping for three months to spend with her girlfriend before having to be put in danger again. Obviously, that wasn't going to happen. There was nothing she could do about it.

She couldn't fight, she couldn't argue. The soldier was powerless, a feeling rarely experienced. Why was there nothing she could do? Why would she be taken away from Chloe so soon? After several moments of thinking, and after hearing Chloe's voice call for her from the living room. There was only one decision left to make.

Beca couldn't tell them, she wouldn't. They would no one week before their departure and no earlier. They couldn't find out, it would ruin the time they had home.


End file.
